Survivors of the December 1984 poison gas
leak disaster in Bhopal today condemned the August 28 decision of the Federal court in New
York that dismissed their class action suit against Union Carbide Corporation, USA. The
suit was filed by seven individual victims and five survivors and activist organizations
in November 1999 to seek redress for the "crimes against humanity" committed by
the corporation and its former chairman Mr Warren Anderson. Opposing the suit, Union
Carbide had called for dismissal of the case through a summary judgement.

In a press conference organized by
survivors and activist organizations today, Mr Abdul Jabbar, Convenor, Bhopal Gas Peedit
Mahila Udyog Sangathan (BGPMUS) said, "This decision of the US Federal court belongs
right there in the Global Hall of Shame. Mr Jabbar mentioned that back in May 1986 the US
court had acceded to Union Carbide's pleas and sent the case for compensation to the
Indian courts. "By denying justice to the victims of the world's worst industrial
disaster a second time now, this US court lies thoroughly exposed as a corporate
lackey."

The activists faulted the recent decision
on several counts. According to Mr Sandeep Sharma, a local lawyer working in support of
survivors organizations: "By dismissing the class action suit on the basis of the
February 1989 settlement, the US court has re-victimized the victims of injustice by the
Supreme Court of India." Mr Satinath Sarangi of the Bhopal Group for Information and
Action (BGIA) expressed dismay that the US court had, "overlooked the depraved
indifference to human life and health in the continuing contamination of drinking water
sources by Union Carbide's chemicals."

Elaborating on the legal response to the
decision Mr Jabbar said, "We are already looking in to the best ways to challenge it.
There are still various ways and several fora in which we can hope to overturn this
shameful summary judgement." For the survivors organizations the Supreme Court of
India's revision of the 1989 settlement order remains an inspiration to continue with the
longest battle of industrial victims in history. In the revised and final judgement
delivered on October 3, 1991, the Indian Supreme court had reinstated the criminal charges
of homicide and other serious offences against Union Carbide and its officials.

"When we got the Supreme Court of
India's settlement order of letting the corporate criminals go scot free, we were
crushed", said Rashida Bi, President of the Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery Karmchari
Sangh, Bhopal, "but then we challenged it and two and a half years later, we
won." It is as a consequence of the final order of the Supreme Court that Union
Carbide and Warren Anderson continue to be "proclaimed absconders" in the eyes
of the Indian judiciary. Leaders of the survivors organizations pointed out that the
recently dismissed class action suit was moved in the context of the failure of the Indian
government to prosecute the offending corporation.

Despite the obvious despair, survivors
organizations were still hopeful that this loss will not stand in the way of their final
victory. They see the potential merger of Union Carbide with Dow Chemicals as presenting
greater opportunities for securing justice. "We have recently learnt that the still
pending class action suit against the Dow management is called 'Dow Chemical
Securities-Bhopal Litigation' " said Rashida Bi, " if Union Carbide gives us the
slip we will turn to Dow." Mr Jabbar stated that legally the pending criminal and
other liabilities will be automatically shifted to Dow after their merger. "Union
Carbide may have sold off its shares in India but Dow has four subsidiaries here in this
country. We will soon take legal and extra-legal action against them." Mr Sandeep
Sharma confirmed that similar to laws in the US, under Indian law a corporation merging
with another inherits its liabilities.

Abdul Jabbar

Rashida Bi

Satinath Sarangi

Convenor

President

Member

Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Udyog
Sangathan

Bhopal Gas Peedit Mahila Stationery
Karmachari Sangh

Bhopal Group for Information and
Action

Contact address : 51, Rajendra Nagar,
Bhopal 462 010

In another part of the city
over a hundred members of the two survivors organizations marched with a coffin and a lady
holding a balance. The lady symbolizing justice was draped in the colours of the US
national flag and a black cloth covered her eyes. The balance the lady held was tilted on
the side that had a stuffed cloth bag symbolising the power of wealth. The inscription on
the hastily built coffin read, "Here lies justice in Bhopal, dealt a near mortal blow
by a US court on November 28, 2000. Shortly to be revived and restored by survivors and
their supporters worldwide." The marchers chanted "Ladengey, jeetengey, haar key
moohn sey jeet chhinengey" - (We will fight, we will win. We will snatch victory from
the jaws of defeat).

Here lies justice in Bhopal,dealt a near mortal blow by a US court on

August 28, 2000

To be revived and restored shortly by
survivors and their supporters worldwide